2017 Ford Mustang Coupe

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Down payment will vary with APR and credit. For example, 0.0% APR with $2,500 down payment provides for 36 monthly payments of $27.78 per $1000 financed for qualified buyers. 0.0% for a term of 24 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $41.67 per $1000 financed.
0.9% for a term of 39 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $26.03 per $1000 financed.
0.9% for a term of 42 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $24.2 per $1000 financed.
0.9% for a term of 48 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $21.22 per $1000 financed.
1.9% for a term of 60 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $17.48 per $1000 financed.
3.9% for a term of 72 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $15.6 per $1000 financed.
4.9% for a term of 75 months corresponds to a monthly cost of $15.51 per $1000 financed. The rates described are for estimation purposes only; you may not be able to finance at this rate.

Reviews

Driving Impression

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The turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost is plenty quick, squirting to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds, but it feels nothing like a muscle car. It starts with a wave of strong torque and pulls strong for about three-fourths of the way to redline, but the artificial buzz of the engine is a turnoff that makes you miss a V8 burble. We think the Ford acoustic engineers need to re-do the piped-in sound system.

The handling is far more nimble and forgiving than it was before 2015, with no rear-wheel hop, thanks to sending the live axle to the rubbish bin.

We got good seat time zipping through L.A. traffic and Malibu canyons, trying the different driving modes. We drove a Mustang Eco with the 6-speed paddle-shifting automatic. We found throttle and shift response slow until we set it the transmission to Sport mode, which kept the engine came in its wide powerband, and any lag time disappeared. Even with the four-cylinder turbo’s wide powerband, it seemed like closer gear ratios would be good.

No such issue with the strong and intense 435-horsepower V8 in the Mustang GT. It shows off the wonderfully composed road manners, from the strut front and independent rear suspension with a serious limited-slip differential, and standard 18-inch wheels. There’s great ride isolation with smooth damping no dive or squat, and precise electric steering in any mode: Comfort, Normal or Sport. With GT’s four-piston front brakes and wide tires, it turns neat and quick into corners.

The modes adjust response from the throttle, steering, transmission and stability control. Another mode is wet/snow. There’s also available launch control, which prevents wheel-spinning burnouts, and line lock that enhances drag racing or showing off like a teenager.

If it’s fast cornering you want most, the Performance Package for the GT replaces the limited-slip differential for a Torsen unit, and adds Pirelli P Zero tires (255/40R fronts, 275/40R rears), Brembo brakes, strut-tower braces, and stiffer sway bars, springs, and dampers. It sticks to the ground in an impressive manner, maybe better than the BMW M4 that’s much more expensive.

Last but not least there’s the Shelby GT350. It’s unrivaled in Mustang history, with its flat-plane 5.2-liter V8 and MagneRide suspension that uses magnetic electronic damping. It’s a bit brittle on the road, not quite as friendly as a Camaro SS, but it’s a stunning track car.

Walk Around

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The Mustang has muscular haunches and swollen fenders, a low and wide stance, and graceful fastback canopy. Some models have an available black roof. Some of the details are soggy, and tarnish the lines: for example a tilted taillight panel that looks like it came off a MoPar, and white lighting hash tags at the headlamps have a “Miami Vice” vibe. There’s also some imbalance between the hefty sides and thin pillars, making it look like a Pontiac Grand Prix coupe from back in the day.

A couple of appearance packages might enhance the style. We might not like the ebony treatment in the California Special, but the Black Accent Package has 19-inch black alloy wheels, a black spoiler, dark taillamp trim, and mustang pony badging. And if you want more horses decorating your car, there’s the Pony Package with more brightwork. (Ferrari shoppers pay a lot more for those, making the Pony Package an excellent value.)

Interior Overview

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The youthful cabin has more richness to it than the Camaro’s. The aviation theme delivers large, clear gauges and information located directly in front of the driver, and the ergonomics are good, with tactile switches and knobs. However the pre-2015 Mustang instrument panel was better organized. There’s a bar like a metal chin-up bar that crosses the dash and adds an appearance of strength, but it reduces the dual binnacles to eyebrows. And the combination of surfaces and textures wasn’t perfect on the cars we drove, not as good as the Ford Flex.

There is generous room in the front seats, and the available (but not inexpensive) Recaro seats are great, a big improvement over the standard sport seats. There’s more interior room and headroom than in a Camaro, but the rear seats are still just gestures, with no chance for an adult to sit upright.

The trunk will hold two golf bags, but otherwise it’s just okay for a weekend, with 13 cubic feet. Make that 11 with the top audio system that needs trunk space for its bits.

As for bins, it’s a good job. The cupholders, cell phone slot, and USB port are perfectly located.

The Mustang feels relatively quiet and refined, even with engine noise we wish we could change, or turn off. The four-cylinder buzzes with an artificial noise pumped into the cabin that is neither pleasant nor evocative of performance.

The V8 is almost the opposite, with a lovely sound that’s suppressed behind a thick wall of sound deadening. We miss hearing the sweet note.

The sleek insulated top on the Mustang Convertible soaks up of a lot of road noise, and that’s a good thing.

Outward visibility is better than might be expected for a car shaped like this. There are blind spots, but if you turn your head, the rear glass exposes enough.

Summary

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The Ford Mustang is a classic, and the current model is a terrific car. We would opt for a Mustang GT. Great powertrain, great handling, and great looks. The instrumentation is disappointing, but sit in one yourself to decide if that matters enough.

Sam Moses contributed to this report.

Model Lineup

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A 6-speed automatic ($1195) is available on all models except GT350. Standard equipment includes power windows/locks/mirrors, air conditioning, cruise control, 50/50-split folding rear seat, AM/FM/CD player with two USB ports and an aux input, Bluetooth with audio streaming and voice control, rearview camera, and keyless ignition. A power driver seat, rear parking sensors and 18-inch wheels are optional. Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system is another feature that’s either optional or only comes on the more expensive models. (All prices are MSRP and do not include destination charge.)